Credit: Inside the MagicIf you’ve ever dined inside Beast’s enchanted castle at Magic Kingdom, you already know that Be Our Guest Restaurant is more than just a meal—it’s an experience.
With stained-glass windows, flickering chandeliers, and a chance to dine in the iconic ballroom or West Wing, this table-service spot has been one of the crown jewels of Disney dining since it opened in 2012. But now, in the summer of 2025, Disney has officially introduced a sweeping change that could reshape how fans feel about this beloved restaurant.
The change isn’t in the setting—it’s on the plate.
That’s right. The culinary lineup at Be Our Guest has been completely refreshed, with new dishes, reimagined favorites, and subtle ingredient swaps that longtime guests are sure to notice. Some are thrilled, while others are wondering why Disney would fix something that didn’t seem broken.
Let’s take a closer look at what’s new, what’s different, and how it could impact your next meal in the Beast’s castle.
What’s New on the Menu?
As of July 16, 2025, Be Our Guest officially debuted a new batch of menu items that add a gourmet twist to the already fancy French-inspired cuisine. First up: a fresh take on salad.
The Endive and Walnut Salad is now on the table, made with Roquefort cheese, tart green apples, bitter radicchio, and dressed with a champagne vinaigrette. It’s lighter and sharper than the options before, giving guests a refined way to kick off the meal.
For the main course, Disney has added Pan-Roasted Arctic Char. This is a move toward a more adventurous fish option, paired with roasted potatoes, charred tomatoes, shaved fennel, and citrus-caper brown butter. It’s a bold update that feels more like something you’d find at a high-end resort restaurant than a character-adjacent meal at Magic Kingdom.
But the desserts are where Disney may have scored the biggest win. The new Crème Brûlée Tart blends orange custard with passion fruit meringue and chantilly cream, while the “Blooming Rose” chocolate cake is topped with none other than “The Grey Stuff”—a nod to one of the most iconic lines from Beauty and the Beast. While “The Grey Stuff” has never actually disappeared, this is a new, artful presentation that makes it the star of the plate.
Classic Dishes Get a Makeover
While entirely new dishes will grab attention, some existing items have also been tweaked—and for returning guests, that might be a bigger deal than it sounds.
Take the beloved French Onion Soup, for example. It’s still topped with melted cheese and has that rich, savory flavor you expect, but Disney has swapped out the gruyère for Swiss. That might sound minor, but to foodies (or picky eaters), that change could be noticeable.
Another major shift: the Mixed Greens Salad is now 100% plant-based. Gone are the goat cheese mousse and roasted tomato vinaigrette, replaced with a simpler mix of tomato, cucumber, and dijon vinaigrette. It’s a cleaner option for vegans and vegetarians, but some fans miss the complexity of the old version.
The Poulet Rouge Chicken entrée has also undergone a refresh. The former version came with sweet potatoes and mustard sauce, but now it’s plated with roasted potatoes, stewed pepper pipérade, and a sweet corn velouté—making the dish both brighter and more seasonally inspired.
One item that didn’t change, despite some social media confusion, is the Steak Frites. While Disney Eats included it in a recent post about menu updates, the dish itself remains untouched. So if you’re a fan of that classic combo, you can breathe easy.
Why the Change?
There hasn’t been an official statement from Disney about why they decided to rework the Be Our Guest menu right now, but the move seems strategic. With 2025 being such a high-traffic year—especially with the opening of Epic Universe and Disney making updates to several core experiences—it makes sense that the dining options would get some love too.
Plus, Disney has increasingly pushed toward seasonal, locally sourced, and health-conscious options across all its parks. That influence is clearly visible here, especially with the plant-based salad and the fresh, citrus-forward entrees.
Still, some guests are wary. For many, eating at Be Our Guest is a sentimental tradition, and changing the food feels like messing with a memory. “I always ordered the French Onion Soup and the chicken. It was my thing,” one guest wrote in a Facebook group. “Now I’m not sure it’ll feel the same.”
What This Means for Your Next Visit
If you’re planning a trip to Magic Kingdom soon and already have a dining reservation locked in for Be Our Guest, you’ll definitely want to check the updated menu online beforehand. While the ambiance remains unchanged—and it’s still a top-tier option for those looking to impress family or celebrate something special—the dining experience may feel a bit different than what you’re used to.
The good news is that the food quality hasn’t taken a hit. If anything, these changes signal Disney’s commitment to keeping Be Our Guest elevated, relevant, and worth the price tag. Whether you’re there for the romance, the photos, or the iconic “Grey Stuff,” your meal is likely to be as memorable as ever—just with a few unexpected twists.
In short: same enchanted castle, but a very new menu. And for many Disney fans, that’s enough to say Be Our Guest will never quite be the same again.